Self-closing hinge

Abstract

A self-closing hinge is described which comprises two hinge members intended to be secured to a door or the like and to a door frame, respectively, one of the hinge members having a cylindrical sleeve closed at the lower end and the other member having a hinge bolt turnably accommodated in said sleeve in order swingably to connect said hinge members. Said sleeve has a portion at its closed lower end provided with an internal thread, particularly a multiple thread of comparatively great pitch, said internal thread being arranged to coact with a corresponding external thread of a ring member in which the lower end portion of said hinge bolt is non-rotatably but axially displaceably journalled whereby said ring member, upon relative rotation in one direction between said hinge bolt and said sleeve, is screwed a distance upward in said sleeve to engage with an annular shoulder on said hinge bolt and upon continued relative rotation is screwed further upwards, thereby lifting said hinge bolt.

What I claim is: 
     
       1. A hinge for supporting a door and the like in a frame therefore in such a manner that the hinge lifts the door vertically upwards, when the door is swung out of the frame and upon release of the door automatically swings the door back into the frame under the action of the weight of the door, said hinge comprising a first and a second hinge member adapted to be secured to said door and said frame, respectively, said first hinge member including a hinge bolt and said second hinge member including a sleeve comprising an upper cylindrical portion in which said hinge bolt is rotatably and axially displaceably journalled and a portion at its lower end provided with an internal thread, a ring member in the lower portion of said sleeve, said ring member having an external thread cooperating with the thread in said sleeve, said hinge bolt having a lower end portion journalled in a non-rotatable but axially displaceable manner in said ring member and said hinge bolt having a downwardly facing annular shoulder located within said sleeve and above said lower portion of said hinge bolt, the arrangement being such that said ring member upon initial relative rotation between said hinge bolt and said sleeve in a door-opening direction is freely screwed a distance upwards in said sleeve without engaging said annular shoulder on said hinge bolt and upon continued relative rotation engages said shoulder on said hinge bolt and thereby lifts same together with the door. 
     
     
       2. A hinge as in claim 1 including a helical compression spring arranged around said lower end portion of the hinge bolt, the ends of said spring engaging said annular shoulder of said hinge bolt and the adjacent end surface of said ring member. 
     
     
       3. A hinge as in claim 1 wherein a cavity is provided in said sleeve at each end of said ring member, said cavities being interconnected at least through the gap between said internal thread of said sleeve and said external thread of said ring member and the gap between said ring member and said hinge bolt, said cavities enclosing oil which is displaceable from one cavity to the other during the movement of the ring member in said sleeve. 
     
     
       4. A hinge as in claim 3 wherein the rate of flow of oil between said cavities is controllable at least in one direction. 
     
     
       5. A hinge as in claim 4 wherein the rate of oil flow between said cavities is controllable by choosing the sizes of said gaps. 
     
     
       6. A hinge as in claim 4 wherein the rate of oil flow between said cavities is controllable by choosing the viscosity of the oil. 
     
     
       7. A hinge as in claim 4 wherein said cavities, apart from said gaps, are interconnected through at least one passage in said sleeve and said hinge bolt, the rate of flow of oil between said cavities being controllable by valve means in said passages, said valve means allowing unrestricted oil flow in one direction and restricted oil flow in the opposite direction.